Images made by the former pupil from the Royal College of Art include Little Lorraine, a black and white nude portrait of a child, and a series of semi-nude photographic portraits of young girls which were published in the book States of Grace in 1992.

All 34 prints owned by the gallery have been removed with the Tate saying the charges "shone a new light" on his work. There is no suggestion that the works feature anyone who was the victim of sexual assault.

They were all acquired in 1975, as part of a large gift, the Tate told the Guardian.

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Ovenden denied the charges, which related to incidents between 1975 and 1985.

The gallery said it was "reviewing the online presentation of these editioned prints by him that are held in the national collection. Until this review is complete, the images will not be available online or the works to view by appointment".

A set of proofs and a photograph for the book States of Grace was seized by US customs in 1991 and held for seven months.

Ovenden said the photographs he had taken were not indecent, and he was being subjected to a "witch-hunt".